A Little Something Different
by The Velvet Top Hat
Summary: Things look bad for Albus when he kisses Minerva and they end up not speaking at all, but, it should end up okay. Afterall Albus is the master of any situation, right?


A/N: This was part of a titchy collection of two chapter and I thought it would be better to split them up, as I hadn't added much more to it and you couldn't tell what the two were about so here it is!

1 Challenge: A little something different

Write an AD/MM fanfiction  
1) Including a the following flirty dialogue  
"Sorry."  
"Don't be."  
2) Where they share a kiss **without** getting together.

They may **not** be a couple in the beginning, you choose if they are in the end. But the kiss has to be **before** they get together. (No, they can't get together just a few minutes after it, either! It has to be on a completely different occasion, if they do.)

This is my response to the challenge set by TigerLime,

------ **A little something different** ------

Minerva was glad it was the summer holidays- three months to recuperate from the Weasley twins, and return to teaching with a reasonably clear and calm mind. Many of her fellow professors were glad too; they had left to their own holidays, at either their summer homes or truly on holiday in different countries. Minerva really could not be bothered to go anywhere. She was always happy to stay at Hogwarts during the summer, finish her end of year reports, and start her new lesson plans whilst looking over the old ones and making small to no adjustments to them for the coming year. She knew she would not be alone; Albus Dumbledore would be at the castle too. Minerva had noticed over the years that Albus rarely went on holiday during the summer, but she had never really found out why.

The summer was drawing to an end when the incident occurred, between them both, with only two weeks to go before the start of term.

------ The Incident that drove two friends apart ------

It had started out like any other day, she was doing her lesson plans and Albus had come into her office.

"Minerva," he chastised. "Do you intend to spend all summer inside doing work?"

Minerva looked up and over her glasses.

"Albus. These need to be done, there is nothing I can do about it, and I doubt my quill will spring up and write seven sets of lesson plans for me."

Albus shook his head, and looked out of the window. It was late afternoon, and the grounds looked so perfect for a walk. What better thing to do than ask Minerva?

"Minerva, will you do me the honor of accompanying me on a walk about the grounds?" Albus asked, smiling. Minerva wished he would stop smiling. It was just that he knew if he smiled in the right way, she would do anything asked of her.

"I suppose, you won't stop bugging me until I do so- am I correct?" Minerva replied, taking off her glasses and setting them down beside her quill and parchment.

"That idea had never occurred to me!" Albus said.

Minerva was the one to smile this time.

"Very well, but this better not take long."

The walk took much longer than either Minerva or Albus had expected, but then again, the excuse of the expanse of the grounds…….

While they were out and walking they saw the resident Astronomy professor, Aurora Sinistra out by the lake, and they decided to go and say hello.

"Hello, Aurora," Albus said warmly to the young woman, who seemed to be deep in thought.

"Hello, Albus, Minerva. I see you two are taking a leisurely walk around the grounds. I prefer to sit here than walk around," Aurora replied to Albus, looking up, her brown eyes misty.

"How have you been, Aurora?" Minerva asked. "We have not seen you for some time; we were all beginning to worry."

"Why worry about me?" Aurora said, looking back over the lake. "I have just been working, that is all; you know my work is nocturnal."

"True," Albus said musingly.

"Well, good afternoon, Aurora. We shall leave you in peace now," Minerva said, pulling Albus along as she walked away. Then she turned around when they were well out of earshot. "Albus, couldn't you see she was upset? It is best to leave her alone at a time like this; she seems to want to be alone. You can tell from her voice."

Albus just stared at his deputy,

"Are you sure she's upset?" he wondered.

"Positive, she was very cool and the tone of her voice is flat." Minerva said impatiently, glancing at her watch. "Look at the time!" she exclaimed, "We should return to the castle at once, you said a short walk, Albus Dumbledore, not a hike!"

Albus merely smiled, noticing how the light caught her in a certain way. It made her look almost unearthly, almost like an angel.

"What are you staring at, Albus?" Minerva asked after a while.

"Something utterly beautiful, that's all." He replied, extending his arm which she took, and together they set off to the castle at a slow pace, no students, no need to be on time.

When they reached Minerva's office again, the portrait of the young lady which guarded the entrance eyed them closely. Albus stood to one side of the portrait, as Minerva said.

"Deus Ex Machina."

The portrait swung open, and to Minerva's shock, it hit Albus right in the face. He fell backwards from the blow, mostly from shock, but to Albus' correct assumption from the pain he was receiving, the portrait had broken his nose. Minerva instantly went to Albus' side, the blood dripping from his nose in a steady stream. Pulling out her wand, Minerva muttered the familiar word,

"Episkey."

Once Albus' nose was healed; Minerva replaced her wand back in her robe pocket and helped Albus to his feet. Then she said,

"I'm sorry."

Albus closed the gap between them,

"Don't be." He whispered to Minerva, she could feel the breath of his words on her lips just before he kissed her. The kiss was sweet and deep, but Minerva quickly pulled away, and gave Albus an almost frightened look before turning and hurrying into her office, slamming the portrait behind her.

------ the Aftermath ------

Albus realized what he had just done. He had possible wrecked his relationship with his deputy headmistress and close friend, and it had all come from a single kiss. A single kiss. He then began the long walk back to his own office, to think of someway of apologizing to Minerva, but little did he know just how hard that task was going to be. He knew Minerva's trust was hard to gain, but the way he had lost it was going to make regaining her trust even harder and he knew it. But those few seconds when his lips had been on hers, he had allowed his feelings for Minerva to over take him for one second and look at what had happened.

Minerva was breathless as she ran into her office, not from the short run of course but of the kiss that had just taken place outside of her office. Summoning a House Elf, Minerva ordered afternoon tea, an extremely late afternoon tea. She sat at her desk, pulling a piece of parchment towards her and picking up a quill, she dipped the tip in the emerald green ink and began to write, but then something hit her. She was using the ink Albus had given her, and at this moment in time she really wanted nothing to do with the headmaster. Shutting the inkpot, Minerva took it off of her desk and put it into a drawer, whilst pulling out her bottle of black ink and a new quill. Minerva let out a deep breath, took up the new quill, and began to write her lesson plans. After nearly five minutes, she couldn't concentrate. Her mind kept wandering back to the kiss, and dear Merlin did that man know how to kiss, but Minerva was angry at Albus, angry at him for kissing her, angry at herself for letting him, and angry at her feelings. Minerva knew her feelings for Albus ran deep, and that was just what she didn't need, a kiss from him. If only he knew what it had done to her, if only! It had shattered the only resolve she had that was trying to make her forget him.

The weeks that followed the "Portrait" incident as Minerva called it passed slowly, antagonizingly slowly, for the two professors. The day after it, Albus had tried talking to Minerva by coming to her office, but she had changed the password, and in an afterthought warded the door against him. Albus had to recognize defeat and walk away, and the young woman in the portrait watched him go sadly. She knew her mistress was not happy with him, nor she for that matter, but the portrait knew that they had feelings for one another, even if they were highly guarded.

Minerva eventually came out of her office. She had been living normally, she would stay in her office for work, and then retreat to her rooms to read a book or have a bath, then eat something and then to go to bed. This was the first time she was seen by Albus for a few days, and he immediately went to talk to her, but her face remained impassive, and she did not reply to a word he said. With the air of a soldier defeated, he returned to his office, but little did he know that there were no old Headmasters in their own portraits.

The portraits of the old Headmasters were all finding out what was going on between him and Minerva, for they were worried as Albus wasn't himself- he no longer made as many jokes as he usually did, for one. Soon they got to the bottom of why he was so sad, and they wondered why he had done what he did. They knew he would never willingly jeopardize his relationship with Minerva. The thing they were all most worried about was the start of term; it was coming closer and closer with each passing day, and the headmaster out of sync with his deputy headmistress was sure to spell disaster. Their worst fears were confirmed when the two were still not on good terms, they were speaking but only the basics and what needed to be said. There was no warmth in the words, inside they all knew the two professors' hearts were breaking, and there was no sign of there being any reconciliation.

------ the start of term feast ------

It was the first of September, and that meant it was the day that the students were returning from the muggle world. Both Albus and Minerva were nervous beyond belief, not because of the students returning, but because of the staff table line up, Minerva always sat on the right side of Albus. Many of the students joked about Minerva being his "Right hand guardian angel" because she had always seemed to keep him grounded to them. But the line up was going to change, and Minerva was going to sit beside someone else for a change. Possibly next to Aurora, she never asked too many questions. That was one of the things Minerva liked about her, she knew what to ask, and not to push it.

Albus was still trying to apologize to Minerva but she was just ignoring him, and to tell the truth he didn't blame her, what he had done was taking liberties and he felt almost sick with himself afterwards. He was still having trouble with ideas of how to apologize.

That night, when the feast began after the first years were sorted, many of the older years began to look up. Something strange was going on at the staff table, but they couldn't place it, then after a while it hit them. Professors McGonagall was not sat on the right hand side of Dumbledore! Soon whispers spread like wildfire through the house tables. Why she was not sat next to him- Did they fall out? Is something serious going on?

Both Minerva and Albus noticed the whispers, and both knew why and what they were about. Albus had wondered why Minerva was not sat next to him, before the memory came crashing down around him. Albus then regained his composure to make the standard beginning of year speeches, and staff notifications.

Most students weren't actually listening; they were trying to figure out what had made the usually close headmaster and deputy headmistress come adrift. Then they were dismissed to go to their dormitories, but the discussions still continued, as did the rumors and the stories.

Normally after the feast, Albus and Minerva had their start of year Chess match, but Albus knew this would be one year where it would not occur. But he had to say sorry to Minerva and he would do it, tonight, the first day of the school year.

Albus decided to linger after dinner, and as Minerva went to leave he called her back. The rest of the professors quickly departed, realizing that the conversation that was to follow was not for their ears. Minerva calmly waited as the remaining professors dispersed, then said,

"What, Albus?"

Albus recoiled; her tone was sharp and cold.

"I wished to apologize for my actions a few weeks ago. It was wrong of me to take that liberty of kissing you, I am afraid I let my emotions for you get the better of me for one second." Albus said quickly before she decided to leave.

Minerva wanted to accept his apology, but something kept telling her not to, but Minerva simply said,

"Do you know what it feels like to have your heart ripped out by the one you love?"

Albus registered her words, it took a while though. And he mutely shook his head.

"Well, that's what you did to me the afternoon you kissed me- my guard was down, and my heart was broken the instant your lips touched mine!" Minerva said angrily.

"I never meant to hurt you Minerva; I would die before I would let anything hurt you!" Albus said.

"You were the one who hurt me, Albus!"

"But Minerva, I love you."

"…"

Silence.

Albus was wondering at her reaction, he knew he had done it know. No turning back.

"I love you, Minerva McGonagall." He said again.

"…"

Silence again.

Minerva was trying to comprehend what he had just said. Did he really? Dear Gods, she hoped so, and she knew Albus would never lie to her. Never. So maybe…

"I love you too." She said quietly, but no matter how quietly it was said, Albus, who was standing a fair few meters away, heard every syllable loud and clear.

Slowly Albus walked towards Minerva, who was looking at the floor by this time. Placing one finger beneath her chin, she lifted her face up to stare straight at him, and carefully he put a soft kiss to her lips, which she returned.

----- everything's A-okay ------

The next morning rumors and stories were still flying, but when the students entered the Great Hall for breakfast, Professor McGonagall was sat back on the right hand side of Professor Dumbledore. Just as it should be. Rumors and stories stopped flying about that very day, no one could tell you why though. Perhaps they just dropped it, seeing that it was just a petty argument, or did they just drop it to not risk the wrath of the two professors? Who knows…..but we all know that the two have an even closer relationship than ever before.

---------------

AN: I am hoping that this was good and that it was not a total disaster. Anyway, I and the plot bunny for this story, Sloop, hope you enjoyed it! And believe it or not, I wrote this in one night, but I bet some of you have done the same.

Oh Deus Ex Machina is Latin, and the dictionary says: "An unexpected event saving a seemingly hopeless situation."

Thanks to Rayne, you do an amazing job of being my Beta!


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